A loose End
by Satya Kaden
Summary: Short sequel to "Liberating Guitar Picks". Answers the question- why wasn't Catie at the party?


Disclaimer: I don't own any of the IaHB characters.   
Note: Okay, when I wrote "Liberating Guitar Picks," I didn't include Catie in the story because she wasn't part of the EMS squad. Well, then Rozbabe (thanks for catching that, by the way) wondered in her review where Catie was. So, I got thinking and even though she might not have been at the little EMT party, she would definitely have done something for Jamie's birthday. So, here is what happened and why she was not at the party. Sorry to all Catie friends for my oversight. My bad.   
  
  
Catie was sick. Her head throbbed with a headache that just wouldn't go away. Her nose kept running and running, making Catie go through a whole box of Kleenexes in just hours. Her throat was so raw, it felt as if she had been screaming for hours on end. She was hot and then she was cold. Everything on her body hurt, even (she thought in miserable sarcasm) her hair seemed to hurt.  
  
She rolled over in bed and groaned as her stomach shifted. Oh, please do not let me get sick, she prayed silently. Catie closed her eyes and willed her head to stop spinning. When am I going to get better, she wondered.  
  
She didn't mind that she had missed school today. Heck, any day that she got off from school was bound to be a good one. Even though she could barely stand on her own two feet, she could still appreciate the merits of a day off from school. For example, it was now six o' clock at night and Catie was yet to get out of bed for the first time that day.  
  
What she did mind, though, was the fact that she had missed Jamie's birthday. She always tried to do something special on his birthday and this year was supposed to be no different. She had planned on actually getting to school early and decorating his locker with wrapping paper. Then she was planning on getting out of class and hiding his present from her in his book bag. It was all going to be so much fun.  
  
Of course, that was before the night from Hell, in which Catie had spent throwing up in the bathroom and watching infomercials because of a sudden bout of insomnia. It always happened when she was sick.  
  
Catie had felt so bad about missing Jamie's birthday, that she had called his house just a couple of hours before. Of course, he was out saving people's lives with the others. Mrs. Waite had been nice enough to tell Catie that Jamie would be informed that she had called when he got home. All she had to do was wait.  
  
......................................  
  
Jamie was let into the house by Mrs. Roth, who thought the world of him. He greeted her with a warm smile and a sweet little, "Hi". She took one look at the boy in front of her and smiled broadly. What a good friend my Caite has, Mrs. Roth thought as she closed the door behind Jamie.  
  
Jamie didn't even wait for an invitation, as he had been over to this particular house too many times to need one. He just took off and bounded up the stairs to the second floor.  
  
At Catie's bedroom door, he knocked softly and waited until he heard a muffled, "c'min."  
  
Jamie smiled as he opened the door and found Catie curled up in bed, looking as if only death would cure her. Catie sniffed, and withdrew a kleenex from under her pillow. She blew her nose and then threw the dirty tissue in the garbage next to her bed.  
  
"Hey Jamie," She said surprised. "What are you doing here?"  
  
She struggled to sit up, her head spinning even faster than before. Jamie rushed the last few feet to the side of her bed and gently pushed her back into a laying position. "You stay down," he instructed.  
  
"Val told me you were sick. So, I thought I'd come by and cheer you up."  
  
"Thanks," Catie said glumly, reaching for another tissue. "Happy Birthday," she added as an afterthought.  
  
Jamie smiled. Yes, it defiantly was a happy birthday. "Thanks," he said and then sat down on the bed next to her. He rested his back against the wall behind her bed and watched as Catie closed her eyes slowly. She seems so tired, he thought. Probably didn't sleep well last night.  
  
"Your present is on my nightstand," Catie mumbled, opening her eyes slowly.  
  
Jamie turned to his side and saw it. A small box wrapped in plain green wrapping paper. He grabbed it off the table and ripped off the wrapping paper. Opening the box, he almost laughed. Laying on the tissue paper inside the box were three new guitar picks. Apparently, everyone knew about his problem keeping his guitar picks.  
  
"Thank you," he said genuinely, looking back at Catie, who was attempting not to fall asleep.  
  
"No......problem," she returned, sleepily.  
  
Jamie put the box back on the nightstand and watched as Catie tried to keep her eyes from falling shut.   
  
"C'mere you," Jamie said, pulling on Caite's arms. He pulled her over into his arms and she rested her head on his chest. Jamie slouched down a bit on the bed so that it would be more comfortable for Catie. He lightly pulled her hair away from her face, smoothing it out on the back of her head.  
  
"Sleep," he whispered.  
  
"Okay," Catie answered already halfway to dream land. "Sorry I missed your birthday today."  
  
Jamie waited just a few seconds before answering her. He waited until her breathing became more even and he realized she had fallen asleep. Then, and only then, he answered her. "It's okay, Catie. I still got to spend time with you today and that's all that matters."  
  
Jamie reached up and stroked Catie's long brown locks. He leaned down slightly and kissed the top of her head. Then Jamie Waite, birthday boy, smiled to himself as he realized he had gotten the one birthday present he had really wanted after all. Catie was in his arms.  
  
Yup, it defiantly was a happy birthday.   
  
  
Awwwww! Well, I hope this satisfies all of the Bleacher Junkies out there. Please don't forget to review so that I can have happy thoughts for the day. Thanks lots!  



End file.
